Comparing and Selecting Hops

So how do I choose the right hops for my beer? With such a wide range of flavor and aroma characteristics, this chart can serve as a helpful guide to more than one hundred varieties. Whether you are trying to duplicate a style or are looking to experiment, the following list can help to get you started. Just select a beer style below and a chart will pull up with appropriate hops to consider for your recipe.

This dual purpose variety is an offspring of Cascade and Northern Brewer. Cashmere has aroma and flavor characteristics of melon, lemon, lime, herbs, and citrus fruits.

Centennial

8-11.5%

Cascade, possibly Columbus

Medium with floral and citrus tones.

Chinook

10-14%

Columbus, Northern Brewer, Nugget, U.K. Target

Mild to medium-heavy, spicy, piney, and grapefruity.

Citra® (U.S.)

11-13%

Intense citrusy flavor.

Cluster

5.5-8.5%

Galena

Medium and quite spicy.

Columbus

11-16%

Chinook, Northern Brewer, Nugget, U.K. Target

Pleasant, with pungent aroma.

Comet (U.S.)

9-11%

Grapefruit, lemon, orange, and grassy notes.

El Dorado (U.S.)

14-16%

Dual purpose hop with fruity, tropical flavors.

Eureka!

17-19%

Simcoe

An offspring of Apollo and German Merkur, Eureka! has aromas and characteristics of strong herbal notes, pine, mint, grapefruit rind, tangerine, and other citrus. Great for brewers looking for varieties to use in late addition, whirlpool, or “hop stand” hop additions.

Galaxy™ (Australia)

11-16%

When used as a late addition or dry hopped, it contributes a pungent flavor of passionfruit and citrus.

Known for its aromatic and bittering properties, pleasant and slightly spicy.

Pilgrim (U.K.)

9-13%

U.K. Challenger, U.K. Target

Dual purpose hop with citrusy, fruity, spicy, and lemon aromas.

Pride of Ringwood (Australia)

7-10%

Cluster, Galena

Quite pronounced, woody, earthy, herbal.

Rakau (New Zealand)

9-11%

High alpha acids and oil content (particularly myrcene) with low cohumulone, making it ideal for the “hoppy not bitter” school of new world IPAs. Aromas and flavors of ripe fruit, grassiness, lemon, grapefruit juice, and hints of tropical flowers.

Riwaka (New Zealand)

4.5-6.5%

Czech Saaz, possible American "C" hops

Citrusy, grapefruit aroma hop

Santiam

5-7.9%

German Spalt, German Spalt Select, German Tettnanger

Noble characteristics.

Satus

12.5-14%

Galena

Known for its bittering and aromatic properties.

Simcoe®

12-14%

A bittering and aromatic hop.

Sorachi Ace (Japan)

13-16%

Bittering hop with lemony aroma

Sovereign (U.K.)

5-6%

U.K. Fuggle

mild flavor

Styrian Aurora

7-9.5%

Northern Brewer, Styrian Golding, U.S. Styrian Bobek

Intense, pleasant and hoppy. Very suitable for extraction and for combination with other varieties in the brewing process.

Summer (Australia)

5.6-6.4%

A hop variety formerly known as Summer Saaz that has a gentle floral aroma, slightly earthy. Expect apricot and stone fruit notes when used in dry hopping.

Summit™

16-18%

Simcoe

Ultra high-alpha bittering hop

Sun

12-16%

Magnum

High-alpha hop with intense character

Super Alpha (New Zealand)

10-12%

Earthy, piney bittering hop.

Super Pride (Australia)

14%

Pride of Ringwood

A high alpha variety bred from Pride of Ringwood.

Target (U.K.)

9.5-12.5%

Fuggle, Willamette

Pleasant English hop aroma, quite intense.

Tomahawk®

15-17%

Columbus

Primarily a bittering hop.

Topaz (Australia)

13.7-17.7%

A dual purpose hop, Topaz adds a resinous, grassy flavors; however, with later additions and in higher gravity brews, light tropical fruit flavors (some say lychee) become more pronounced.

Vic Secret (Australia)

14-17%

An aroma hop with resinous, grassy and mild fruit flavors. Late and dry hop additions introduce appealing clean and distinct pineapple and pine characters. Lighter and less dominant than Galaxy.

Wai-iti (New Zealand)

3.4%

Saaz

Aroma hop with a startlingly citrus aroma made up of mandarin, lemon and lime zest

Waimea (New Zealand)

16-19%

High alpha but also lots of oils giving fresh tangelo and citrus fruit aroma with pine needles

Wakatu (New Zealand)

NA

Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Nelson Sauvin

Wakatu features floral aromas, as well as notes of fresh lime zest, citrus oils, and has a Mittlefrüh-style sweetness.

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